gumi Inc – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

July 22, 2020

PlayStation VR Edition of Swords of Gargantua Postponed

Back in April Japanese developer Yomuneco Inc. announced its 2020 road map for Swords of Gargantua, detailing Spring, Summer and Fall updates. While the Spring Lounge update occurred, all the rest have been postponed which includes the PlayStation VR version.

No date had been set for the launch on PlayStation VR, just that it would be taking place this summer. Like many virtual reality (VR) developers who have had to adjust to local lockdowns due to COVID-19, this has had an impact on production.

The studio made the announcement on its Discord channel, saying: “We have decided to postpone the release date of the PSVR version of Sword of Gargantua, PvP mode and Ooparts Labyrinth.

“The reason behind the postponement is due to a major revision of the development plan due to the impact of prolonged COVID pandemic. As well as future development, we are also working on quality improvements to the currently released version of the game.”

Both the PvP mode and Ooparts Labyrinth were set to extensively expand Swords of Gargantua, allowing players to fight one another in arenas for the first time rather than purely AI opponents. While Ooparts Labyrinth would provide a procedurally-generated labyrinth for up to four players to explore, racing to collect the hidden Ooparts whilst battling monsters.

At the moment the team don’t have a release window for when these updates and PlayStation VR support will arrive, hopefully, they won’t all be pushed into next year at this rate.

If you’ve not heard of Swords of Gargantua the videogame is a physical sword fighting experience with solo and co-op modes. It challenges players to face hordes of armoured warriors, blocking, parrying, and attacking deadly foes with a mixture of weapons in a bid to face the Gargantua. These can range from faster sword and shield combos to the heavier but more powerful two-handed swords. There’s also a magical element where you can power up your weapons for extra damage.

Swords of Gargantua is currently available for Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, Valve Index, HTC Vive, Vive Cosmos and Windows Mixed Reality headsets. As further details are made public VRFocus will let you know.

April 7, 2020

Swords of Gargantua Road Map Reveals Upcoming PvP Battles and Ooparts Labyrinth Quest

For those who love sword fighting in virtual reality (VR) Sword of Gargantua by Japanese developer Yomuneco Inc. aims to provide one of the most realistic experiences across a wide variety of headsets. Today, the studio has revealed its plans for future updates throughout 2020, with plenty of new content scheduled to arrive.

Swords of Gargantua

Last month Yomuneco Inc. announced PlayStation VR support would be coming this spring but it does have more in store this season. An alpha Mod Mode using the Mod.io platform will be rolled out for PC-based players, allowing them to modify in-game parameters, such as speed and strength, as well as create custom waves to alter the challenges. This feature will also come to Oculus Quest in the future.

Additionally, this spring will see a social area called the Lounge arrive so that up to 10 warriors can hangout after a long day of killing giants.

That will be followed in the summer by the Duels of Gargantua beta test, a PvP mode where players can enter an arena to fights other human opponents. The Mod Mode customization will be expanded as well, enabling players to import fan-made weapon and character models and utilize them in epic battles against the Gargantua. These weapons and models can only be utilised in this particular mode.

Swords of Gargantua

Onto the third and final road map plan, this autumn will see the largest content update land, the OOParts Labyrinth. This new mode offers four players the chance to infiltrate a procedurally-generated labyrinth, fighting monsters in a quest to collect the hidden Ooparts. There will be a new boss to fight and players will gain access to new ranged attacks like magic and bows.

Whether solo or in co-op, Swords of Gargantua challenges players to face hordes of armoured enemies, blocking, parrying, and attacking deadly foes with a mixture of weapons. These can range from faster sword and shield combos to the heavier but more powerful two-handed swords.

Swords of Gargantua is currently available for Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, Valve Index, HTC Vive, Vive Cosmos and Windows Mixed Reality headsets. As further updates are released, VRFocus will let you know.

March 11, 2020

Do Battle in Swords of Gargantua on PlayStation VR This Spring

PlayStation VR already has a solid catalogue of videogames to choose from with that set to improve over the next couple of months. The latest virtual reality (VR) title to confirm upcoming support is Swords of Gargantua by Japanese developer Yomuneco Inc. with a release scheduled for the end of Spring.

Swords of Gargantua

A fast-paced rogue-lite action experience, Swords of Gargantua focuses on realistic swordplay for one to four players. The core experience challenges players to face hordes of armoured enemies as they try to make it all the way to the end and face the final boss, the mighty Gargantua.

Players will be able to test their swordsmanship, blocking, parrying, and attacking deadly foes with a mixture of weapons. Whether that’s using a sword and shield combo with a fast, light sword or going for a much heavier and more powerful (but slower) weapon. There are over 30 to choose from which can also be magically embued to increase the damage.

When the studio introduced theTesseract Abyss update to Swords of Gargantua at the end of 2019 an adventure mode was introduced adding new gameplay options. Introducing role-playing game (RPG) elements where players can level up their characters, stats can be improved through fighting and collecting coins to enhance attributes like HP and strength. All the weapons, items, coins and stat upgrades collected through each gameplay session can be permanently kept, while excess weapons can be combined to make stronger versions to aid in those harder difficult battles.

Swords of Gargantua

The coins can also be used for temporary buffs called Artifacts. Artifacts cans boost stats such as strength or health, with up to four weapons and Artifacts able to be taken into each battle.

Swords of Gargantua is slated to arrive by the end of Spring, a little ambiguous, that would make the launch window the end of May into June. When a date is set it’ll be available through the PlayStation Store globally, supporting English, Japanese and Chinese for $29.99 USD. Take a look at the new PlayStation VR trailer below and for further updates on the sword fighting title, keep reading VRFocus.

December 5, 2019

Swords of Gargantua’s Tesseract Abyss Update Adds new Adventure Mode

Yomuneco Inc’s. Swords of Gargantua offers players on multiple VR headsets the chance to engage in some brutal melee combat across both single-player and multiplayer modes. Today, the studio has launched the Tesseract Abyss update adding a wealth of new content.

Swords of Gargantua: Tesseract Abyss

Swords of Gargantua – Tesseract Abyss is a new adventure mode adding more role-playing game (RPG) style elements, enriching the gameplay depth. Still supporting single-player and co-op multiplayer, inside the Tesseract Abyss players can level their character up and improve their weapons.

Fighting enemies will increase the character’s performance and abilities. These abilities can then be further strengthened by collecting coins, increasing attributes like HP and strength. Players can then craft better weapons to further improve their chances in combat. Duplicate weapons can be combined to make stronger versions of themselves, so players can collect and strengthen a lot of weaker type weapons or earn more powerful weapons later on and speed up the process.

Before each battle players can also purchase temporary buffs called Artifacts. Bought with coins, the Artifacts boost areas such as strength or health. Up to four weapons and Artifacts can be taken into each battle.

Swords of Gargantua: Tesseract Abyss

Swords of Gargantua originally launched for Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and other PC VR headsets in June 2019 alongside Oculus Quest, offering cross-platform gameplay between the systems. HTC Vive Cosmos support was included to coincide with its arrival in October. The core experience features over 50 missions, with 30 weapons to unlock. Each weapon is designed to suit different gameplay styles, from large heavy damage types which are slow to faster swords to get hits in quick succession.

The title also has a magical element where players can power up their weapons for short periods, unleashing devastating attacks for large amounts of damage, great for when a boss turns up. As mentioned this doesn’t need to be a solo operation, as up to four people can collaborate to ensure survival all the way to the final boss, Gargantua.

Check out the new trailer below to see Swords of Gargantua – Tesseract Abyss in action. As further updates are released, VRFocus will let you know.

October 29, 2019

Synthesis VR Brings Swords of Gargantua to VR Arcades Worldwide

Regular readers of VRFocus may have noticed a spate of articles relating to the location-based entertainment (LBE) industry recently. The sector is growing very much in tandem with the consumer market as VR’s popularity gains momentum. The latest videogame to venture across from home headsets to VR arcades is Yomuneco Inc’s. Swords of Gargantua, care of distribution platform Synthesis VR.

Swords of Gargantua

They have announced a partnership to distribute the sword fighting title to LBE venues worldwide, available immediately to arcades using Synthesis VR.

VR Arcades will be able to host up to four players at once inside Swords of Gargantua, where they’ll need to work together to fight waves of heavily armoured enemies. They’ll be able to wield a number of weapons, from swords, nunchucks and axes to throwing blades and morning stars. Shields are also available for a more defensive strategy. Each has its own particular strengths and weaknesses in battle, like the short sword which is ideal for facing large groups of weak enemies. While a longer sword has more power, great when facing a single strong enemy because of the reduced attack speed.

When not in combat, players will be able to hang out in the multiplayer lobby where they can practice with different weapons. Other amusing additions include the ball and cup weapon, and miniaturized figurines of the characters.

“Swords of Gargantua is a very realistic swordplay action game that is fun for the whole family. It is already a very popular game, and I believe bringing Swords of Gargantua to all the VR locations worldwide is going to benefit the arcades in a big way, attracting new customers and retaining customers which is a big issue when it comes to arcades. Games like Swords of Gargantua make this happen and we are pleased to announce the availability globally through SynthesisVR,” said Shabeer Sinnalebbe, CEO of Synthesis VR on the partnership.

2019 has seen Synthesis VR add some major content and features to the platform. These include Wargaming.net’s World of Tanks VR and Vive Studios’ Front Defense and Front Defense: Heroes. To further enhance the player experience Synthesis VR partnered with Blueprint Reality Inc. to utilise its MixCast technology so visitors can receive mixed reality (MR) photos and videos of their gameplay sessions. As further content is added to the Synthesis VR platform, VRFocus will let you know.

June 4, 2019

Swords of Gargantua Confirmed for Oculus Quest, Launches This Week

After conducting an open beta for its close combat fighting title Swords of Gargantua, Japanese developer Yomuneco Inc has announced that the full launch will now take place this week. Additionally, the developer has confirmed that Oculus Quest will also be part of the launch lineup.

To enable maximum reach across the launch platforms, Swords of Gargantua will be cross-platform compatible between Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, HTC Vive and Windows Mixed Reality headsets. On top of that, the two Oculus devices will also share cross-buy support, so players won’t have to buy it twice if they own both headsets.

As you can tell from the new screenshots released, the PC version does feature some highly detailed graphics, especially when it comes to the combatant’s armour. The Oculus Quest image, by contrast, is a far more cut back affair. Hopefully, this will help Swords of Gargantua’s core gameplay feature, the realistic swordsmanship. “We’ve taken great care to ensure that each battle feels great through heavy refinement of our battle system and accurate haptic feedback,” states Yomuneco Inc.

Featuring both single-player and multiplayer gameplay modes, fighting solo enables you to take on over 50 missions, with 30 weapons to unlock. Swords of Gargantua isn’t about giant swords as found in JRPG’s, it’s about careful consideration of attack and defence, being able to wield a shield for protection whilst dodging out the way of ferocious attacks. There’s also a magical element where players can power up their weapons for short periods to unleash devastating strikes when the enemies get really big.

In multiplayer up to four people can co-operatively work together to defeat waves of enemies trying to destroy a mana station. While the core forces do range in style and size, the aim of the main campaign is to reach and defeat Gargantua, a mighty titan who should offer the greatest challenge.

Swords of Gargantua is scheduled for launch on Thursday, 6th June, via Steam and Oculus Store. VRFocus will continue its coverage of Yomuneco Inc, reporting back with any further VR updates.

May 8, 2019

Swords of Gargantua to Hold Global Open Beta, NVIDIA RTX 2080 to be won

Over the last few months, Japanese developer Yomuneco Inc. has held a couple of closed beta’s as it prepares combat title Swords of Gargantua for launch. Today, the studio in conjunction with Gumi Inc. has announced a global open beta will be taking place this month, great for those that haven’t managed to take part in the previous beta’s.

Swords of Gargantua

The new open beta will start next week on Wednesday, 15th May 7pm PT until the following Tuesday, 21st May 2019 at 23.59 PT. All players need to do is follow this Discord link and follow the instructions in the #open-beta-apply channel. Oculus Rift users will be given access through Oculus Store when the beta goes live, while for those on SteamVR headsets like HTC Vive will receive Steam keys on 15th.

As an extra bonus, not only do those partaking get to play the last version they’ll also be in with a chance of winning an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ventus 8G OC graphics card. Players will compete in the multiplayer beginner quest, and the individual player with the highest score on the multiplayer leaderboard at the end of the open beta, wins.

It has been a while since VRFocus last saw Swords of Gargantua at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2018, saying in the preview: “What was shown is certainly exciting, with an intriguing storyline mixed with gritty aesthetics and fluid combat.”

Swords of Gargantua

Swords of Gargantua aims to provide VR players with hyper-realistic swordplay, with a refined battle system and haptic feedback. The action title can be played both solo and with friends, offering a four-player co-op mode with built-in voice chat to discuss strategy as they battle hordes of enemies in order to protect a mana station, and penultimately fight an enormous foe. As a single-player, gamers will be able to work through 100 missions with 30 weapons to unlock as they progress.

Definitely one for all of you who love Japanese hack-n-slash videogames, Yomuneco Inc. has yet to confirm an actual launch window for Swords of Gargantua. The open beta does indicate that it might not be too far away. When VRFocus has those detail we’ll let you know.

March 30, 2019

Sign-up for Swords of Gargantua’s 2nd Closed Beta Test

Last month Japanese studios Yomuneco and gumi Inc. launched their first closed beta for upcoming action title Swords of Gargantua. This week the developers have begun a second closed beta, but this time they’re accepting a much bigger pool of players to join in and provide feedback.

Swords of Gargantua

Just like before, if you’re keen on applying you’ll need an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive headset and then head on over to Swords of Gargantua’s Discord channel. All you need to do is follow the instructions on the #beta-apply channel. If accepted, all beta testers who share their feedback through a provided survey will be given the opportunity to have their name added to the credits as a Closed Beta Tester.

For this second beta test Yomuneco has included several new additions, including a new combo system that amplifies your damage after a successful block, dodge or parry, more weapons to fight with – a Samurai sword and Club – plus instead of pre-set enemy waves, now players will fight enemies based on how well they perform. The stronger you are, the harder the enemy.

The Swords of Gargantua closed beta is already running so sign-up as quickly as possible to avoid missing out. The beta will run until Sunday, 7th April 2019.

Swords of Gargantua

Designed as proper hack n’ slash style adventure, with Swords of Gargantua the studio has paid particular attention to making the sword-based gameplay as realistic as possible. Thus ensuring every player movement is finely tuned and mirrored directly in the virtual world.

This isn’t a solitary experience either. With a cross-platform four-player co-op mode you can collaborate with friends on taking down all sorts of dangerous enemies. There will be a variety of weapons for different gameplay styles, with a total of 30 to unlock across 100 single-player missions, while multiplayer will feature native voice chat, allowing you to develop strategies with your team before heading into combat.

VRFocus saw an early version at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2018, saying in the preview: “What was shown is certainly exciting, with an intriguing storyline mixed with gritty aesthetics and fluid combat.” Yomuneco has yet to reveal a launch window or date for Swords of Gargantua, when it does VRFocus will let you know.

February 13, 2019May 9, 2019

VR Melee Action Game ‘Swords of Gargantua’ Heads into Open Beta Next Week

Japan-based studios Gumi Inc. and Yomuneco today announced that the melee-focused VR game Swords of Gargantua is heading into open beta soon for Vive and Rift.

Update (May 9th, 2019): Gumi Inc. and Yomuneco today announced that Swords of Gargantua is headed soon for open beta testing, which will be available through Steam and the Oculus Store. The worldwide open beta will take place between May 15th – 21st. To download, head over to the game’s Discord channel for instructions.

Additionally, Yomuneco is also throwing a giveaway that could see one skilled player receive an NVIDIA RTX 2080 Ventus 8G OC graphics card. Players will compete in the multiplayer beginner quest, and the individual player with the highest score on the multiplayer leaderboard at the end of the open beta, wins.

The original article announcing the previous closed beta follows below:

Original Article (February 13th, 2019): The closed beta starts on February 15th and goes until the 22nd. The studios say space is “very limited,” although the’re giving users a chance to win a closed beta key by leaving a comment on the #beta-apply page of the Swords of Gargantua Discord channel (invite link).

Gumi and Yomuneco will be awarding closed beta keys via a private message on February 15th, which will include a Steam key with beta access. You can check out the game’s Steam page here.

We had a chance to go hands-on with Sword of Gargantua at GDC 2018, and while a bit rough around the edges, the team co-op game showed plenty of promise with its physics-based melee combat and larger-than-life enemies. Talking to Gumi & Yomuneco at GDC, I was told that Swords of Gargantua wasn’t a story-based adventure, instead slanted towards quick action so you and friends can drop into a battle at any time.

Action RPG ‘Swords of Gargantua’ Demo Now Available on Vive & Rift

We had a chance to go hands-on with Gumi and Yomuneco’s Sword of Gargantua at GDC back in March, and while an official write-up never materialized out of the hectic game-filled dev conference, a demo for the studio’s upcoming online action RPG is finally here for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift.

Set in a world dominated by a race of giants called the Gargantua, the full release will let you and up to three other players join in physical combat against the Gargantua, giant overlords in the combat-focused fantasy world. Swords of Gargantua is slated for release on Steam Early Access later this year.

The demo is single player-only, which shows off some of the massive scale of the world and its warrior inhabitants. The Gargantua’s minions tower at six-feet tall, while the Gargantua themselves loom over you at increasingly impressive heights.

You can download the demo here.

Using weapons such as battle axes and swords, you can physically strike enemies, although you’ll have to watch out for the durability of the weapon along with your own stamina, which will limit your swinging power, making hits less effective.

Locomotion, while using a standard smooth forward and snap-turn scheme, also offers a dash mode that you can activate by physically leaning in the desired direction for those quick jumps into the fray. A targeting system allows you to lock onto enemies and circle around them, using all of the locomotion schemes at your disposal to block, dodge, and defeat your hulking enemies.

In the demo, you face off against a few waves of minions at the throne of what presumably is one of the lower-level Garantua rulers. The throne room is littered with shields and epic long swords. Watch out for the build up swings of the minions though, because they do devastating damage that can quickly put you out of the game. All objects are physics-based too, meaning you can satisfyingly clank together your swords, and feel some degree of ‘imagined’ force feedback through your motion controllers. Seeing your weapon stop mid-swing as you make contact with an enemy works somewhat like it does in GORN (2017).

Talking to Gumi & Yumenco at GDC, I was told that Swords of Gargantua wasn’t a story-based adventure, focusing on quick action so you and friends can drop into a battle at any time.

“Since this demo is the first public playable build, you may experience some issues,” the studio says. “We’re currently focused on the Early Access build of the game, so should you experience any issues that limits your enjoyment of the game, we ask for your patience and understanding until we launch in Early Access later this year. Looking forward to hearing your feedback!”

Swords of Gargantua will be Yomuneco’s second dive into VR, following their latest VR puzzle game Enigma Sphere: Enhanced Edition (2017) for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.

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